Me? Blog?

Recently, conversations with my husband have gone something like this:

Me: Hi, honey! (smooch) How was your day?

Gilbert: Pretty good! (smooch)Today we, blah blah blah software design blah blah blah. And then we blah blah blah. It was really challenging to blah blah blah . . . (Several minutes of computer jargon later) How was yours?

Me: Um, well, the baby had two blow outs today! The first one was all up her back and even in her hair! Hahaha! The second one was really green! That was all before breakfast. The rest of the afternoon was kinda boring . . .

Gilbert: Um, well, that’s nice . . .

(cricket, cricket . . .)

Let me take this moment to clarify two things. One, I am not in any way denigrating my husband’s job or conversation skills. He has a wonderful job as a software engineer. He is extremely intelligent and knowledgeable and works in a fascinating field. I just don’t happen to understand what he is talking about. Ever. Two, I am not nearly as entertained by baby poop as the above excerpt would imply. I recently took a leave of absence from my career as a junior high social studies teacher to stay at home with our new baby. While I am thrilled beyond thrilled to have this amazing opportunity, I have to admit, I am a bit lost. This is the first time since I was thirteen years old that I do not have some type of a paying job. It is the first time since I was five years old that I am not in school every day as either a student or a teacher. Suddenly, the only thing I have to talk about is the baby and mundane household chores, and the only person I have to talk too for eight hours out of the day is a four month old. (Although, she is a pretty good listener)

It was after a few weeks of me going stir crazy and driving my husband all kinds of crazy the moment he walked in the door, that he suggested I start a “mommy blog.” The idea didn’t come to him totally out of the blue, we were watching Mom’s Night Out (excellent movie, if you haven’t seen it) and the main character is struggling with her own role as a stay at home mom, which she chronicles on her blog. At first I laughed at the idea, but as the long days alone passed by, I began to think, “Well, why not?”

I have always loved to write. I kept journals all throughout junior high, high school, and college. I have written poetry, short stories, essays, research papers—you name it. Recently, I have become a connoisseur of blogs, and I really enjoy them. The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea.

So, this blog will be my valiant attempt to retain my adult vocabulary skills. I will write about babies (that which consumes my days and nights), teenagers (I have one of those too), cooking (the only “hobby” I seem to have time for anymore), marriage/ husbands (mostly about what I don’t understand), and anything else that comes to mind.

Simple Sausage Skillet Meals

Simple Sausage Skillet Meals

One of my family’s favorite meals are sausage skillets. There are many variations on this tried and true favorite, which keep my family interested in eating it, and me interested in cooking it.

The basic recipe is as follows:

Ingredients
 package of pre-cooked sausage, sliced
Various veggies, sliced
Starch, prepared accordingly
Seasoning and/ or sauce

Directions:
Brown sausage in large skillet with olive oil
Add vegetables to skillet and cook until tender
Add starch, cooked accordingly
Season and/ or add sauce

The order in which you complete the steps may change slightly depending on what exactly you are making. For example, when cooking raw vegetables that take a long time to become tender, like potatoes, celery, carrots, or cabbage, I usually add the sausage after. If the dish includes pre-packaged pasta or rice, I prepare it according to the package directions and add it last.

Here are some fun variations on the basic.

Classic Kielbasa:

Kielbasa sausage

Red potatoes

Onion

Red and Yellow Peppers

Mushrooms

Seasoned to taste with garlic, salt, and pepper

Kielbasa Veggie Delight:

Same as Classic Kielbasa, but add additional vegetables and substitute prepared rice for potatoes (I like a wild rice/ long grain blend)

Stir in rice at the end of the cooking process

Polish Skillet:

Kielbasa sausage

Red potatoes

Onion

Cabbage

Seasoned to taste with paprika, garlic, ground mustard, salt and pepper

Breakfast Skillet:

Any type of sausage

Diced potatoes

Onion

Peppers

Mushrooms

Eggs (scrambled or over-easy)

Shredded Cheese

Seasoned to taste with salt, pepper, and garlic.

Classic Italian Skillet:

Italian sausage or similar, sliced (my favorite is vidalia onion)

Red Onion

Mushrooms

1 Can diced tomatoes

Tomato Pasta Sauce (I like tomato basil)

Seasoned with basil, garlic, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper

Serve over any prepared pasta, or stir in (I like bow tie pasta)

You can also add shredded mozzarella or shredded Italian cheese

Vegetable Alfredo Sausage Skillet:

Italian sausage, sliced

Red Onion

Peas

Asparagus

Mushrooms

Other veggies, as desired

Alfredo sauce

Serve over any prepared pasta

Southwest Sausage Skillet:

Jalapeno or Red Pepper Sausage, sliced

Onion

1 can green ghiles

1 cup frozen corn

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Serve over rice or tortillas

Garnish with shredded Mexican cheese, sliced avocado and sour cream